TH: Witch and Wizard, King and Knight
by brawlingwolf
Summary: Since the fall of Gunmar, Jim's greatest challenge has been being the father of the first human to be raised among Trolls. Their peace has been welcome, but temporary, and the Pale Lady is threatening to overthrow everything the Trollhunter knows and loves. But the wizard who forged the Amulet isn't without his own tricks, including a King of Knights. Sequel to The Brink of Change.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:** Hello, everyone! I've been trying to start uploading regularly and I want to quickly let you know what all I'm working on: KH: RE: What Lies in Darkness; KH: Ultimativ; Animation Attenuation #FE; KI: AtBoT- The Death of Eternity; and this and a new Legend of Zelda story that I've been drafting for some time and I want to start uploading for Zelda Month. All of these currently have chapters in progress that I want to have uploaded by the end of the year. But, of course, here's the sequel to The Brink of Change as we continue to follow our Trollhunters: Witch and Wizard, King and Knight! Enjoy!

* * *

Parent-Teacher conferences had come around shortly after the start of the school year. In a 1st Grade classroom in Arcadia Elementary, Jim and Claire sat across from their son's teacher at her desk, and she had several papers and folders in front of her.

"Thank you for coming, Mr. and Mrs. Lake," she said. "I'm sure you're busy, so I'll try to keep this brief. Arthur is a pleasure to have in class. He's a bright, outgoing, polite, and engaging boy, and he's learning at an accelerated pace." She handed them a few papers. "As you can see, he is performing well in mathematics, reading, writing, and social skills. He truly is a remarkable boy!"

"That's wonderful," Claire said with a smile. "I know he can be a handful. I'm glad to hear he's behaving."

"Indeed, and he is quite outgoing with his peers," the teacher agreed. "I have one concern, though." She frowned. "An active imagination and strong creativity are excellent qualities to have," she said, and Jim had a feeling he knew where this was going. "But I worry a bit that Arthur is taking it a little too far. We've done exercises in class discussing family members and the like, and… well…" She pulled a paper from her folder and passed it to them, revealing a crude drawing that appeared to be of Jim's Changeling father, James Lake Sr., in his troll form. "He insists this is his grandfather." Jim sighed inwardly as he studied the drawing.

"It's a sort of game they play," he said. "Arthur loves stories of magical creatures and things like that."

"I've noticed," the teacher said. "I've overheard him talking to other students about gnomes and pixies and goblins… But more than anything, his favorite subject seems to be trolls." She paused. "Listen, I don't want to stifle Arthur's creativity and imagination. I encourage it in my students. But I just worry he isn't separating fantasy from reality." She pulled another paper from the folder. "When asked to describe a person he admires, he submitted this." She handed them the paper, and Jim had to fight the smile trying to form on his face. Though Arthur's artistic skills may have been lacking, Jim could still see himself wearing his armor and holding his sword in the drawing.

"'I admire my dad because he is strong and brave,'" Jim read aloud. "'His friends say he is kind and call him Jim the Just. He protects people and always makes time to play with me. I want to be like him when I grow up.'"

"That's so sweet," Claire said with a smile. "Good likeness too."

"Arthur always speaks fondly of both of you," the teacher said. "And he regularly calls you a hero, Mr. Lake. I suppose that's why he drew you like that."

"I do look out for people," Jim said. "And I always encourage him to put others first and do the right thing. Like we said, he loves fantasy stories and fairy tales."

"So I guess he sees his dad as a knight in shining armor," Claire agreed. "I think it's cute!"

"It is very sweet," the teacher said with a nod. "As I said, I just worry he's spending too much time in fantasy."

"All right," Jim nodded. "We'll have a talk with him. Thank you."

"Thank you," the teacher said as she stood up. "I appreciate you coming in. And I know children Arthur's age are prone to mischief, and he's just exercising his brain, especially the creative part. I just think it would be best if he takes things a little more seriously."

"Of course." Jim shook her hand, and Claire did the same.

"We'll keep that in mind," she said. "Thanks again."

"My pleasure. Have a great night, Mr. and Mrs. Lake. I appreciate your time!" With that, they left, and once they were out of the building and in the car, Jim sighed and rubbed his forehead.

"That was close," he grumbled. "I'm really glad she didn't ask about the whole 'Jim the Just' thing."

"What are we going to do?" Claire wondered. "I've never regretted raising him with the trolls, but… sooner or later, this is going to get him or us in trouble."

"Best we can do is talk to him," Jim said as he started the car. "Try to get him to realize how important this is." He shook his head as they pulled out of the parking lot. "I know he loves Blinky and the others. He's proud of his family and he's always excited to go to Trollmarket. And I know we encourage him to always tell the truth, but…"

"Who knew one of the hard parts of raising a Trollhunter's son would be getting him to keep a secret?" she half joked, and he shrugged with a helpless smile.

Not long later, they pulled into their driveway and went inside their home where they found Barbara helping Arthur with a reading assignment. They both looked up as Jim and Claire entered the living room, and Arthur jumped up and ran over to hug his parents.

"Welcome home," Barbara greeted with a smile as she gave her son a hug. "How was the conference?"

"Fine, for the most part," Jim reported. "Arthur is doing exceedingly well in most areas. There's only one problem."

"What's that?" She wondered. He frowned and looked at his son.

"Arthur, come sit down with me," he said, and Arthur followed him over to the couch and Jim sat him on his lap while Claire joined them. "Listen, I think we need to have another talk about Trollmarket."

"What about it?" Arthur asked. "Are we going soon?"

"Not right now," he said. "Arthur, do you remember what I told you before you started school last year?" Arthur pondered this for a moment.

"Don't tell anyone about Trollmarket or Grampa Blinky or Uncle Aaarrrgghh or Uncle Draal," he said. Jim nodded.

"That's right. And what about this?" He pulled the Amulet from his pocket, and Arthur took it in both hands.

"Don't tell anyone you're the Trollhunter," he said. "'Cause it's a secret."

"And it's a secret because we don't want people finding out about the trolls," Jim reminded him. "Arthur, if people did know about them, it could be really bad. Blinky and the rest of them could be hurt. It's my job to protect them, okay? And that means keeping it a secret that Trollmarket exists under Arcadia. I know I've told you all this before." Arthur nodded. "But your teacher told me you've been talking about trolls and goblins and all sorts of things at school. Why?"

"'Cause my friends talk about them first!" Arthur said. "They say trolls are monsters and pixies are nice, but it's not true!" Jim took a breath and hugged his son.

"I know that, and you know that," he sighed. "But right now, a lot of other people don't. And it's better that way. The world above isn't ready for the truth about trolls."

"So… we lie about it?" Arthur asked.

"Not… lie," Jim replied with a frown. "Just don't talk about it. I know you don't like hearing this, but you'll understand more when you're older. Right now, I just need you to trust me, okay?"

"Okay…" Arthur didn't seem entirely convinced. "I won't talk about it at school anymore."

"That's good." Jim smiled and kissed Arthur's head. "I love you, champ. Now, say good night to Gramma. You gotta get to bed soon!"

"Love you too, Papa!" Arthur turned to Claire and gave her a hug. "And love you, Mama!" Claire smiled and stroked his hair.

"I love you too, Arthur. Now, go say goodbye." Arthur jumped off the couch and gave Barbara just as big a hug as he had his parents.

"I had a lot of fun tonight," she said. "I'll see you soon, okay? You go get some sleep."

"I will," Arthur nodded. "Good night, Gramma. Love you!"

"I love you too, Arthur," she said. "Good night."

"All right," Claire stood up. "Upstairs, okay? I'll be up in a moment." Arthur ran up the stairs with no care for being quiet, and Jim stood up and joined his wife and mother.

"Thanks again for watching him, Mom," he said. "I hope he takes what I said to heart."

"He's just excited," Barbara replied. "Not many kids his age have such extraordinary lives. First human to be raised among trolls, as you no doubt need reminded." Jim nodded.

"We knew from the start it was going to be fun," he agreed. "Anyway, I won't keep you. Love you, Mom."

"Love you too, Jim," she said with a smile and a hug. "You too, Claire. I'll see you later."

"Bye, Barbara!" Claire gave her a hug, and she waved for them both before heading out the front door. Claire kissed Jim's cheek, then headed upstairs after Arthur. He plopped back on the couch and kicked off his shoes, and he took out the Amulet and looked absentmindedly into its blue glow.


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note:** Guess who just figured out he can submit chapters via his phone where he does most of his writing without having to use the very touchy app. Anyway, enjoy!

* * *

"WAKE UP, PAPA!"

This, along with Arthur's launching himself onto his back while he was sleeping, was Jim's wake up call several days later. He didn't even have a chance to think about it, and apparently, neither did the Amulet. As far as it was concerned, its master was under attack, and he'd donned his armor before realizing his son was sitting next to him with a huge grin. The glow of the armor reflected in his excited eyes, and Jim stared at him for a moment longer before sighing and dismissing the Amulet.

"Good morning, Arthur," he said as he set it back on his nightstand. "What was that for?"

"Happy birthday, Papa!" Arthur said as he bounced a bit. Jim stared at him again and forced a smile.

"Thanks, big guy." He pulled his son in for a hug. "But maybe next time you want to wake me up, don't launch yourself at full force, okay?"

"Sorry," Arthur dipped his head.

"Me too," Claire said as she came in with a tray bearing breakfast. "I told him not to, but he was just too excited." She eyed the boy. "That's not what I meant when I said 'go wake your father up.'"

"Sorry, Mama," he said as he slithered off the bed.

"All right. Go play, okay? We'll be down soon." Arthur grinned and ran out of their bedroom, and Jim fell face first into his pillow as Claire sat down next to him.

"My birthday," he grumbled. "Jeez, I'm thirty."

"Yes, you are," Claire chuckled as she set the tray aside and laid down next to him, wrapping an arm around his waist. "And a raging pack of Gumm-Gumms will not keep me from making sure you have a good day."

"Don't say that," he snorted as he turned his head to her. "You know it's just my luck that a raging pack of Gumm-Gumms would show up today." She rolled her eyes and kissed him. He returned it and curled in against her. "Can I just not get out of bed today?"

"Not an option," she told him as she stroked his hair. "Come on, it'll be fine!" She sat up and pulled him with her. "Eat up. I made an omelet for you! ...And NotEnrique is currently in the kitchen eating the eggshells. He stopped by to say 'hi.'"

"All right…" Jim stretched his arms up and felt a crack in his back. "I'll be down in a bit. Just give me a few." She smiled and kissed his forehead.

"Take all the time you need, mi amor." Jim took her hand briefly before she walked away, and he turned his attention to the omelet and a glass of juice next to it. He still had yet to acquire a taste for coffee and highly doubted he ever would. He took a bite of his breakfast, a smile on his face at the peppers and spices that Claire had used to give it a bit of extra kick.

He jolted again at the sound of a yell from downstairs, and he grabbed the Amulet and jumped out of bed, nearly running into Claire. He heard Arthur saying something, followed by a certain troll's voice.

"Uh, SIS?!" He called. "A little help?!" Claire exchanged an alarmed look with her husband and they both rushed downstairs.

"NotEn… Enrique?!" Claire stammered. Her fifteen year old brother was standing in the kitchen, restraining a squirming green troll in his arms. He looked absolutely horrified. Arthur, meanwhile, was trying to get his uncle's attention to let the troll go with little success.

"Claire!" Enrique huffed. "Call animal control! Or the police, or someone! This thing can talk!"

"I ain't just a thing!" NotEnrique protested. "Put me down!"

"Enrique, it's okay," Claire insisted. "Let him go. He's a friend."

"A friend?!" her brother repeated. "This is a monster!"

"I am NOT!" NotEnrique argued. "I'm one of the good guys!"

"Enrique!" Claire snapped. "Put him down. Now." Enrique stared at her in shock before dropping the troll, who grumbled and quickly made his way behind her. "I'm sorry for yelling," she said. "Enrique, mi hermanito… I know you're confused."

"Yes, I'm confused!" Enrique huffed. "You know that thing? What even is it?!"

"I ain't an 'it!'" NotEnrique said curtly.

"Calm down, Enrique," Jim said with his hands up. "Give us a chance to explain. You may want to sit down." Enrique's brow furrowed, but he pulled out a chair from the table and did as he was told. Jim exchanged a look with Claire and sighed. "This is… We've called him 'NotEnrique' for years."

"Not… Enrique?" Enrique stared at the troll. "Why? What does that mean?"

"Mi hermanito…" Claire said gently. "Have you ever wondered why you're shorter than a lot of the boys your age?" she asked. "You're kind of actually a year younger than you think. Physically, anyway." Enrique blinked.

"What?" was all he managed to say.

"When you were a baby, you were… kidnapped."

"KIDNAPPED?!" He demanded. "What?! Why have Mom and Dad never told me?"

"Because they didn't know," Claire replied. "You were taken to a place called the Darklands, and… this guy," she gestured to NotEnrique, "took your place. While you were there, he was able to take your form. He's a troll, more specifically a Changeling." Enrique started to say something else, but shock robbed him of his voice.

"You've always looked up to Jim, right?" Claire went on. "You don't remember being in the Darklands since you were just a baby, but… Jim was the one who saved you and brought you home." Enrique's disbelieving eyes went from his sister to his brother-in-law.

"It's true," he said with a nod. "There's an entire world you know nothing about. And the only reason I do is because I'm the Trollhunter." He held up the Amulet. "For the glory of Merlin, Daylight is mine to command." Enrique watched, enraptured, as the armor appeared and encased Jim's body.

"Whoa…" the boy said. "Wait, wait," he shook his head. "Let me get this straight. I was kidnapped when I was a baby. I was taken to some other place which meant that this guy could turn into me, and Jim found me and brought me back home." Both Jim and Claire nodded. "But why is he in your house?!"

"I told ya, I'm a good guy now," NotEnrique said. "Jim's got a way of winning folks over to his side." He jumped up on the table and Enrique shrunk back a bit. "Look, kid. I didn't choose to be like this- a Changeling. I didn't choose for you to get nabbed. I was doin' my job until these two convinced me otherwise. And I'm better for it. Your sister never gave up the thought of saving you. Count yourself lucky to have such a good big sis lookin' out for you." Enrique's face softened a bit as he processed all of this, and he brushed his blond hair back.

"You really did all that for me?" He asked as he looked up at Claire, and she smiled.

"Of course. I love you." He turned to Jim.

"And you're like… some kind of superhero or something? You really saved me?"

"I did," Jim agreed. "Enrique, I still remember the day they took you. I tried to get you back then, but I couldn't keep up. I promised then that I wouldn't stop until you were home safe." He dismissed his armor. "Look, if you have any questions at all, feel free to ask us. Just remember, all of this is a secret. People can't know about trolls or anything like that." Enrique nodded and dropped his gaze for a moment.

"So… he said he's one of the good guys," he said. "Are there other… 'good' trolls?"

"Absolutely," Jim replied. "They make their home in a place called Trollmarket under Arcadia. Now that you know, we'll take you there sometime and introduce you to our friends."

"Can I come?!" Arthur asked excitedly. "I wanna introduce Uncle Enrique to Grampa Blinky!"

"Grampa Blinky?" Enrique echoed.

"He's my mentor, and a dear friend," Jim explained. "Arthur's been calling him that since he learned to talk."

"Okay…" the teen said. "All right, I think I've kind of got my head wrapped around this now. I would like to meet these other trolls. Just… sorry in advance if I freak out again."

"Don't worry about it," Claire teased. "Anyway, what brings you by? We weren't expecting a visit."

"Oh, right." Enrique smiled sheepishly. "I was out on my board heading to meet some friends and I wanted to swing by and wish you a happy birthday, Jim. So… happy birthday!" Jim laughed and nodded.

"Thanks, Enrique. I appreciate it. Sorry for the surprise."

"It's okay," Enrique shrugged. "Also… I guess… thanks for bringing me home." Jim's eyes softened.

"Of course. Back then, you were Claire's little brother. But now, you're mine too. And I would do anything to keep you safe."

"Appreciate it, Jim." Enrique stood up and gave him a quick hug. "I gotta run. This whole troll thing kind of threw me off schedule. I'll see you all later!" He gave his sister a hug, then his nephew, and rather awkwardly waved at the Changeling he had once been connected to. NotEnrique gained an amused smirk and waved back.

"Good kid," the troll said once he had left. "Took that better than I expected."

"He may not remember it, but I bet his time in the Darklands did influence him," Claire said. "He's always been pretty easy going about 'weird' things."

"He was there almost a year," Jim pointed out. "Anyway. I'm gonna go finish my breakfast and get ready for the day. Hopefully this is the worst thing that happens."

"Ai, that thing is probably cold by now," Claire sighed. "Bring it back down and I'll throw it in the pan a little longer."

"Sounds good." Jim nodded and kissed her cheek, then headed upstairs.


	3. Chapter 3

After Jim had finished his work for the day, mostly studying gems and stones that the mining team had unearthed and getting into contact with potential buyers, Claire had suggested a family walk with their son through a nearby park. It sounded like a wonderful way to end his birthday, and he'd gladly agreed. So, as the sun started to set on Arcadia, he and Claire walked down a path with Arthur between them, holding onto their hands as he skipped along. Despite the rather warm fall evening, the path they were on was empty.

"Have you had a good day?" Claire asked, and Jim smiled and nodded.

"Yeah, not bad. Thank you, both of you." Arthur beamed at his father. But Jim's good mood faded rapidly as he looked around. He stopped, as did his wife and son.

"Jim?" Claire asked, and he motioned for her to be quiet. There was not a sound to be heard around them.

"Listen," he said. "The birds stopped singing. I don't hear any bugs or anything." His brow furrowed. "Something's-" He didn't have a chance to finish his statement as three strange, humanoid creatures riding on horses suddenly came barreling for them. Arthur shrieked as Jim shoved both him and Claire out of their path, and Jim quickly donned his armor.

"Get Arthur out of here!" He snapped at Claire. "I'll catch up." Claire nodded quickly and retrieved her Shadowstaff from her purse. As he took up his sword, Claire hoisted a terrified Arthur into one arm while she extended the staff with the other. Jim turned to face the trio with their own weapons brandished. They were unlike anything he had seen before.

All three of them appeared to be made of some kind of energy or magic, including their mounts. One was red, one was white, and one was black in color. The red one held a sword, the white one a spear, and the black one a mace, and all three had bows strung over their backs. They appeared to wear armor of their own and were slightly translucent.

"Who are you supposed to be?" Jim inquired as he gripped his blade. They offered him no response, but the black one charged at him. He leapt up and slashed his sword down, and the rider grimaced as it split apart and reformed just as quickly. There was some resistance to Jim's sword, but certainly nothing like hitting the rock skin of a troll. Jim landed and huffed, and he dove out of the way and rolled to the side as the red rider came and attacked with its own sword. He blocked the rider's next attempted strike against him, and their weapons collided and sparked, sending Jim skidding back.

His head whipped around at the sound of a scream from Arthur, and he found Claire holding their son close and pointing her staff at the white rider as it approached. Jim ducked under the black rider's mace and grabbed one of his daggers, and he threw it at the white one. But though it did hit its target, it simply bounced off with no other impact. It was enough to get the rider's attention, and Jim rushed to position himself between his opponents and his family.

"Why are you still here?!" He asked quickly.

"My staff won't work," Claire said breathlessly. "I can't get it to open a portal. It's like something's blocking it!" The red rider retrieved its bow and nocked an arrow that glowed with bright heat, and Jim summoned his shield just in time to block it. But the impact was enough to shock his arm, and he grit his teeth. He dismissed the shield and took up his other dagger, and he threw it forth and struck the black rider's head. The rider screeched as Daylight overwhelmed it, and it retreated. Jim frowned as he looked between the three, focusing his attention on the two remaining.

"Claire," he said quickly. "Get down. I'll keep you safe. I don't know if more of these things are out there. Just watch my back."

"Of course," she replied. "Be careful." He took a breath and almost jumped when the Amulet began to glow in his armor, and he glanced down to see the markings encircling it take on a new incantation. He looked over it quickly, and he spoke it carefully.

"On the brink of Ruin, Eclipse is mine to command."

A surge of power flooded his armor, transforming it from Daylight to Eclipse without bothering to let him remove it first. It was a strange sensation over his body. This was the first time he had wielded Eclipse since the fall of Gunmar the Black.

The two remaining riders appeared somewhat concerned at the sight of the Eclipse armor. The white one came barreling at him and managed to anticipate his dodge, and it stabbed its spear into his shoulder. Searing pain ignited from his injury, and his eyes blazed with anger as he sliced his sword at the rider in retaliation. It huffed and buckled from the strike, but it aimed its spear once again and knocked him aside, and he yelped and rolled out of the way as the red rider attempted to stab him. He called his daggers back and threw one at the white rider, and though it attempted to deflect it, it passed right through the weapon and struck it. It hesitated in attempting to attack him again, and instead regrouped with the other two. Jim repositioned himself between them and his family, and Claire stepped up with her staff pointed at the riders. Arthur clung to her side, his wide, terrified eyes staring at their assailants. Their horses scuffed the ground and snorted, but the riders did not urge them on.

"Who are you?" Jim said, his voice low. All three met his gaze steadily.

"She is coming," They rasped in unison.

"She?" Jim echoed, brow furrowed. "Who?" He grunted and shook his head. "Actually, you know what? I don't care. If you ever come near my family again, you will pay, understand?" His eyes narrowed as he could have sworn the red rider smiled at him ever so slightly.

"She will be pleased," it said in a weak voice. With that, they turned their horses and galloped off into the falling dusk, vanishing into mist as they went. Jim refused to budge for a moment longer, then straightened up and lowered his sword. Immediately, he threw his arms around Claire and Arthur, holding them tightly.

"Are you both okay?" He asked.

"Yes, mi amor," Claire said gently and kissed his cheek. "Thank you. I'm sorry I couldn't do more." He shook his head and looked down at their son.

"Arthur, you okay? I'm sure that was scary." Arthur reached out to him, and he dismissed his armor and hoisted the boy into his arms. "It's all right, big guy. I won't let anyone hurt you. They're gone."

"They were scary." Arthur mumbled into his father's chest. "Who were they?"

"I don't know," Jim said gently. "But I'm going to find out." He looked at his wife, who was in turn inspecting her staff.

"Why couldn't I get it to work?" She muttered. But as she focused again, black energy engulfed it, and from it, a portal opened.

"Well, that's one less thing to worry about," Jim said as he shifted Arthur to one arm and placed the other hand on Claire's shoulder. "That'll take us home?"

"Yeah," she nodded. "That was weird…"

"Don't worry too much about it," her husband advised. "Let's just get home." The three made their way through the portal, emerging in their living room.

Jim blinked and stared at the rabble surrounding him, and many of them, troll and human alike, stared back.

"Uh, surprise!" Toby said with an awkward smile. Jim glanced up at the streamers, balloons, and banner decorating the living room. He set Arthur down and rubbed his forehead, then turned to Claire.

"I am so sorry," she said quickly. "With all that happening, I totally forgot. I invited everyone over for a surprise party for you." He nodded slightly and looked back around the guests: Barbara stood with Toby, Walter, and his father James. Blinky had all four hands clasped together, a worried look on his face, and Aaarrrgghh held up the balloon he was holding while NotEnrique stood on his head. Draal was the first to approach Jim.

"What happened?" He asked. "You look troubled, Trollhunter."

"Jim, are you hurt?" Barbara hurried over to him, inspecting his shoulder.

"I'm okay," he replied. "We're okay. But we were attacked by these strange riders while we were out in the park. There were three of them- one red, one white, one black. It's like they were made of magic or energy or something." Everyone instinctively turned to Blinky, but he looked just as perplexed as the rest of them.

"Riders made of magic," he mused. "My apologies, but I cannot recall any information about such apparitions off the top of my head. But I will scour my library the moment I return home."

"They said 'she is coming,'" Claire recalled. "I really hate the pronoun game. Who is 'she?'" Walter and James both exchanged an uneasy look, and Jim arched an eyebrow.

"Dad, Walt, do you know something?" He asked, and James turned back and approached him.

"We may," he admitted, placing a hand on his son's uninjured shoulder. "If magic apparitions are attacking the Trollhunter on the whim of a woman, I believe I know who sent them."

"The Pale Lady," Walter agreed with a frown. "The witch Morgana. Those riders were likely her old servants, riders of Dawn, Day, and Night. They draw their power from their respective times of day."

"That explains why the Amulet reacted like that," Jim noticed, looking down at it in his hand. "The black rider was weak to Daylight, but the white and red ones were weak to Eclipse."

"Eclipse?" Blinky shoved past the Changelings and stood front and center before Jim. "You were able to don the Eclipse armor?" Jim nodded.

"Yeah. When they attacked, the Amulet gave me a new incantation. 'On the brink of ruin, Eclipse is mine to command.'" The Amulet pinged in response and once again encased him in black armor. Blinky stroked his chin with one hand curiously.

"Fascinating," Draal said as he came to Jim's side. "You haven't been able to use Eclipse since you defeated Gunmar, correct? Even with the Triumbric Stones."

"Right," Jim nodded. "I assumed it was because it had fulfilled its purpose. It doomed Gunmar."

"Which must be why it granted you a new incantation," Blinky said with all six eyes trained on the Amulet. "It evolves as its champion faces new and changing threats… Remarkable!"

"Okay, back up," Claire said shortly. "Morgana? Like the witch that used to work with Gunmar? The evil sorceress?"

"The very same," Blinky replied, and he began pacing. "As you may recall, she was once a student of Merlin's, but as she grew in power, they began to clash, and he sealed her away to prevent further misuse of her magic. No living soul knows where she is now, but that she was able to summon her servants… that is most troubling. It may very well be that whatever seal the wizard cast on her is weakening. Whether she can break free on her own or if she requires help, no one knows. But nevertheless, if she truly was responsible for that ambush, we must prepare for the worst."

"How do we do that?" Toby asked. "Any suggestions?"

"Unfortunately, our knowledge of the true nature of Merlin's seal and Morgana's power is laughably limited," Blinky went on. "Unless our friends here can grant us any more insight." He gestured to James and Walt.

"Sorry, Jim," James shrugged. "That's about all we know. The best we can probably do right now is research Morgana and see if we can find anything more." Jim nodded and dismissed his armor, and he looked down at the Amulet.

"Guess I should add Witchhunter to my resumé," he said. "All right. Blinky, can you guys see if you can find anything in your library?"

"Of course," Blinky agreed. "We will not rest until we uncover the information we seek."

"Toby and I can head to the library and see if we can find anything there," Jim continued. "Claire, Mom, I know you both have work to worry about, so you focus on that."

"I can return to the Smithsonian and see if I can find any old relics or whatever else," James piped up. "The Gyre should get me there and back easily."

"I can dig up some old connections as well," Walter said. "We will let you know as soon as we find anything, Atlas." Jim snorted and shook his head.

"Being thirty means I'm not 'young' anymore, huh?" He chuckled. "Speaking of which, I really do appreciate you all doing this for me. I'm lucky to have a family like this." He looked down as Arthur tapped his hand.

"What can I do, Papa?" He asked.

"You…" Jim smiled and picked him up. "Can get some sleep. You have school tomorrow. And don't worry, I won't let anything bad happen."

"I know." Arthur hugged him. "'Cause you always beat the bad guys!"

"That's right." Jim kissed his cheek and set him down. "Go say good night to everyone, then head upstairs." Arthur didn't look particularly thrilled at the idea, but he did as he was told, and as he made his rounds to everyone, Claire caught her husband's attention.

"No matter what happens, we'll be ready," she told him. "All of us. Remember that."

"I know, and I will." He took her hand and brought it up to his lips. "We'll get through this like always."


	4. Chapter 4

A few days later, Jim sat in Arcadia's public library, pouring over a stack of books on Arthurian legends and Merlin himself. Toby was on a computer nearby researching the same topic, and while they found plenty of stories about Morgana's apprenticeship to Merlin, information about her imprisonment and what she was capable of was not nearly as readily available. Jim yawned and rubbed his eyes. The two of them had been at this for hours, and no doubt a librarian would be by to tell them to wrap it up so they could close soon. He sat back and slid his hand in his pocket, running his fingers over the Amulet.

"Too bad I can't ask anyone directly," he muttered. He almost jumped when the Amulet pinged and its glow brightened, and he quickly clamped his hand over his pocket. The library was fairly quiet, but not entirely deserted. He stood up and went over to Toby's computer station, and his friend looked up at him curiously.

"What's up, man? Find anything?" He asked. Jim shook his head but opened his hand ever so slightly, and Toby blinked. "Uh, why is it doing that?"

"I dunno," he replied. "I'm gonna go to the restroom and see what it wants." Toby nodded, and Jim excused himself to the men's room. After checking that no one else was currently using the stalls, he leaned against the door and retrieved the Amulet from his pocket.

"Okay," he huffed. "What do you want?" It pinged once more, its blue glow shifting. "Okay… I said I wished I could ask someone… but who the heck would have that kind of information?" The hands of the Amulet circled around in response, and he stared at it before bringing it up to his ear. It was faint, but he could hear a whisper.

"Speak to me."

He lowered it and stared at it- he'd been the Trollhunter for half his life and counting, but had never had this happen. But if the Amulet really could evolve, as Blinky had suggested, perhaps it truly was reacting to some new threat posed by Morgana.

"Speak to you," he said with a frown. "What is that supposed to mean?" It only repeated the phrase.

"Speak to me." He groaned and lowered his head. The former Trollhunters were the only unusual entities the Amulet had allowed him to contact and speak with. But this voice didn't sound like any of them as far as he knew of, and that required him going to the Hero's Forge and subsequently the Void to see them.

"The Hero's Forge is a sacred place connected to the Trollhunters," he murmured as he stared into the Amulet's blue glow. "That's where I can reach them." He fell silent as he thought it over, and an idea began to form in his head. "Unless… I can use you to contact the Void and other people at other places." Its glow intensified in response, and he grinned. "That's it!" He put the Amulet back in his pocket and tore out of the restroom, earning a harsh shushing from a librarian, and he murmured a quick apology as he found Toby waiting for him.

"You look excited," he noticed.

"I think I figured it out. Or at least part of it. We'll talk outside." Toby nodded and followed him out of the library into the cool night air outside. Once they had assured no one would be listening in to their conversation, Jim spoke.

"I think it was trying to tell me that I can use it to contact other people, depending on where I am," he explained. "It said 'Speak to me,' but I don't think it was Kanjigar or anyone else like that."

"Okay…" Toby mused. "But who else would it let you talk to?"

"Well, Merlin made the Amulet, right?" Jim asked with a smile. "Maybe, if I can find the right place, I can talk to him like I do the other Trollhunters in the Void. But I just have to figure out where would be a good place." Toby tilted his head in thought.

"This is a long shot, but… when I was looking through stuff on the internet, I saw an article that talked about Stonehenge. It's a weird enough place as it is, and some legends state that Merlin designed and helped build it. Maybe you can try there." Jim thought it over, slowing his pace.

"Stonehenge… Even with taking the Gyre to London, I would probably be gone several days," he noted. "Can you handle things while I'm gone?"

"Of course!" Toby punched his arm playfully. "I can hold down the fort. Just let me know if you find anything!"

"I will," Jim said with a smile. "A weak lead is better than none at all, and I'll only be gone a few days. But I should go as soon as we let everyone else know the plan."

"Good idea." Toby immediately pulled out his phone to call Blinky.

After bidding good bye to his friends and family, Jim found himself speeding off for England the next day. Gyre travel still didn't entirely agree with him, but he kept his breakfast down and managed to walk a straight line once he disembarked.

It was already evening by the time he emerged from the trolls' tunnels just outside of London, and from his research, his destination was still quite some distance away. He retrieved his backpack and made his way into the city, and after about an hour, he'd managed to rent a car and start the final leg of his trip. He smiled as he recalled the last time he had been in London, his honeymoon with Claire. Even his legs had hurt after the week of walking around and seeing the sights, and just the memory of how enraptured she had been with seeing Romeo and Juliet at the Globe Theatre warmed his heart.

Unfortunately, he wasn't there to sightsee this time, and he followed his map's directions out to Stonehenge, arriving almost two hours later. Night had fallen and the tourists had departed, and he parked about a mile away and decided to walk the rest of the way. He dodged out of the line of sight of a few passerbys, and as he approached the ancient monument, the Amulet pinged in his pocket. He removed it and held it close to his chest, and he crouched down and held his breath as he entered the circle of stones.

"Okay," he murmured as he held the Amulet in both hands. "I'm here. You told me to speak to you… so where are you?" In response, the hands of the Amulet began to move, and a flash of light from it overtook his vision.

When it died down, he found himself wearing his armor, surrounded by the ethereal dim light of the Void. The structures of Stonehenge were etched in blue lines that glowed gently, and strange runes marked the ground around him. As he looked around, an orb of light appeared from the Amulet, and he watched, awed, as it floated a few paces away from him, and from it, a human form emerged. It appeared to be an elderly man wearing a suit of armor similar to his own. It was hard to make out any other distinguishing features about him other than his pointed beard, as his form was translucent and glowed like Kanjigar when Jim spoke with him. The old man folded his hands behind him and eyed Jim curtly.

"You know, it is customary to kneel before a wizard," he said, a gentle echo to his voice. Jim's eyes widened, and he quickly and awkwardly knelt down on one knee.

"You… you're… Merlin?" He stammered, and the old man gave him an amused smile.

"Now, you're getting it. James Lake Junior, first human to be chosen by my Amulet, and the latest in a long and proud line of my champions. Slayer of Bular, of Angor Rot, of Gunmar the Black." His smile grew. "I knew you were the right one for the job."

"Um, thank you," Jim said as he got back to his feet. "So, you probably already know why I'm here. Please, what can you tell me about Morgana?" Merlin's smile faded.

"So many centuries, she has been imprisoned, and yet her magic has continued to grow. She may not be able to physically break free, but she has proven already that she can take an intangible form and spread her magic beyond the confines of her prison." He fell silent in thought for a moment. "Trollhunter, you must be prepared to face her at any moment. Even I cannot tell for certain whether she will be able to break free of my seal on her own, or if she has somehow found aid. Regardless, her power is fearsome, and she will be out for revenge against my chosen champion and the world that shunned her."

"So I'm her first target," Jim said, and Merlin nodded.

"Fear not, Trollhunter. I will bestow upon you two means of aid. I believe you are familiar with the term 'fight fire with fire,' yes?" Jim nodded, and Merlin approached him and looked him over rather closely. Jim stiffened, unable to help feeling a bit violated. "Well, you have about as much natural magic in you as an old sock. But you aren't completely devoid of it- surely your father's Impure blood has granted you that much." Jim resisted flinching at that comment.

"What do you mean by that?" His question was answered by a smack on the back of his head from the wizard, and he grumbled.

"Silence yourself for one moment, and I will explain!" Merlin sighed. "In order to face Morgana's magic, you will need magic of your own. I will teach you what I can to help you survive your coming battles."

"M-Me?!" Jim stared in disbelief. "I can learn magic?"

"Yes," Merlin said impatiently as he stepped back. "I will provide you with instruction back in what you know as the Hero's Forge. That way, you don't have to keep sneaking your way here."

"That would be extremely helpful, thanks," Jim said. "Wow, I… I never thought I would be able to use magic myself."

"That will all depend on you, my young champion," the wizard replied. "Now, for my other gift to you." He stepped forward again and placed his hand to Jim's forehead, and a strange vision overtook his senses. He saw what appeared to be a map, or perhaps he was simply looking down over the continent.

"There is a small island off the southwest shores of England," Merlin said as Jim's vision took him there. "It is shrouded in eternal fog and hidden from common sight. This is the island known as Avalon."

"Avalon…" Jim repeated, his disbelief long exhausted.

"It is a land steeped in old and powerful magic, and it is the resting place of who you know as King Arthur." Jim opened his eyes to stare at the wizard. "There, the King of Knights sleeps, waiting to be called once more to take up arms. You will deliver that call, Trollhunter."

"Me?!" Jim demanded. "I… you want me to go find THE King Arthur? You mean he's gonna help me fight Morgana?"

"Yes," Merlin said entirely too seriously. "Listen to me very closely. You must go to Avalon alone- an ill fate will befall any who are not permitted to tread there. And before you set foot upon its shores, don your armor. It will protect you from the land's power, and it will guide you to where the King sleeps. From there, it will be up to you to return home and face whatever threats Morgana poses to you. Do you understand?"

"Um… I think so," Jim said uneasily, and Merlin eyed him curtly. "I mean…" he straightened up. "Yes, sir. Thank you for your aid and wisdom." Merlin gave him an approving nod.

"Good luck, Trollhunter. And remember: In their darkest hour…"

"I shine brightest." With that, light once again overtook Jim's vision, and when it receded, he found himself back in his own reality, standing in the middle of Stonehenge. He looked down at the Amulet in his hands, then up at the stars in the sky.

"Alright…" he breathed. "Next stop: Avalon."


	5. Chapter 5

Jim had managed to contact a ship captain to take him most of the way to his destination, though it had cost him a hefty sum to convince anyone to take him on a suicidal trip like this. He'd made it clear that he needed to go out to a certain point, then would take a smaller boat by himself the rest of the way: not a great plan considering he'd never sailed before, but he didn't see much of any other choice. After that, he would sail back to port himself and drive back to London, and the Gyre would take him home.

"What could possibly be easier?" He muttered to himself as he looked over the rail of the ship at the churning open ocean. Aboard a larger vessel, the trip was scheduled to take about three hours. He had no idea how long it would take him to get back.

"Mister Lake." He turned to find a deckhand approaching him. "The captain would like to speak with you."

"Okay, thank you," Jim replied and followed the deckhand in to the ship's Bridge. The captain dipped his head as he entered.

"Welcome to the bridge, Mister Lake," he greeted, and Jim shook his hand. "We've just about arrived at your destination. Are you… sure about this, mate? I won't get in your way, but I have to tell you again that I find this whole idea foolhardy."

"I appreciate your concern, Captain," Jim said with a smile. "And for taking me this far. But I have to go the rest of the way alone. It's a personal thing."

"I figured," the captain said. "Ready your vessel, then. My boys will help you into the water, then you're on your own."

"Thank you." Jim smiled and dipped his head. He followed one of the shipmates out to the side of the vessel where a small boat equipped for both sailing and a motor waited for him. He had quite a bit of savings from his gem trading, but he hadn't expected to blow through so much in less than a week. But stopping an ancient, vengeful witch was worth it.

He jumped up into his boat and nodded to the shipmates, and they lowered him into the water below. As he had been directed, he removed the cables keeping him attached to the hoist, and his boat fell into the water with a great splash.

"Good luck, Mister Lake!" He heard one of the shipmates call, and he waved. He turned on the motor and sped off toward where he hoped Avalon waited. A ping from his pocket caught his attention, and he retrieved the Amulet. He watched as its hands moved to both point to the west, and he looked up and turned his boat in the direction it pointed. In one hand, he held the wheel, and in the other, the Amulet, and he followed its direction in silence. After some time, he entered a thick patch of fog and could barely see the bow in front of him. He made another glance down at the Amulet to make sure he was still going in the right direction, then took a deep breath.

"For the glory of Merlin, Daylight is mine to command." As always, his armor appeared and encased his body, and he took hold of the boat's wheel with both hands. Only moments later, he felt the bottom of the boat scrape something, and he turned off the motor and dropped the anchor over the side, then jumped out himself. His feet splashed into water that only came up about to his knees. Through the fog, he could barely make out the shapes of trees ahead of him, and he trudged up onto dry land and drew his sword to grant him more light. As he approached the trees, he thought he heard whispers in the wind.

"An outsider…"

"Merlin's Champion."

"The time has come."

He glanced around warily and continued on until he came to a great tree, and nestled among its roots was some kind of stone altar with runes carved into it. Upon the stone slab lay a figure dressed in fine robes and armor. Jim stepped lightly as he came to the side of the altar, and he looked over the figure, who was rather pale in complexion, had dusty, dark blond hair, and held a silver sword with a golden hilt, and the blade itself was etched with what he guessed was a Latin phrase that he didn't understand. What surprised him the most was how slender this person was, and looked physically about his age if not a bit younger. Jim took a breath and lowered his sword, and he gently placed his hand on the person's shoulder. Immediately, he was greeted with blue eyes flying wide open, and he stumbled back as the person sat up and looked at him curiously.

"Who are you?" That voice was quite a bit higher than Jim had expected. But he suddenly recalled his manners and knelt down.

"My name is Jim Lake," he said. "I'm the Trollhunter."

"Trollhunter?" The person eyed him. "And here I thought Merlin meant a troll would awaken me, and yet you are human, are you not?"

"Y-Yes, your majesty. I am the first human Trollhunter. I defeated Gunmar the Black about nine years ago." Jim cleared his throat. "Er… you are King Arthur, right? The King of Knights who wields Excalibur?" He was not expecting the amused smile that he received.

"Artia," the king said. "My name is Artia. Merlin warned me that some details may be lost in translation over the years."

"Artia?" Jim repeated, puzzled, and he studied the king a bit more closely. "Forgive my rudeness, but… are you a… a woman?" Artia arched an eyebrow and stood up.

"Yes, is that so surprising?" Jim blinked.

"Wait, wait." He stammered. "So you're… Queen Artia, then?" Artia looked downright insulted.

"No, Jim Lake. I am King Artia. I am a woman, yes. But I took the title of King of England, as was my fate. Many were surprised that a woman was able to pull the sword from the stone, but such was the prophecy- the one who performed such a feat would be king."

"I see, I think." Jim got to his feet and placed his sword on his back. "Then it is a great honor to meet you, King Artia. Please forgive my confusion." Artia smiled and nodded slightly.

"There is no harm done, Trollhunter. Now, tell me. Why have you awakened me?"

"I spoke with Merlin and he pointed me here," Jim explained. "Morgana is threatening to escape her prison, and already she's been able to cast her magic to cause trouble." Artia's eyes widened.

"Then we've no time to dally," she said as she sheathed her blade. "The time has come for me to once again defend my dear people. We must depart for England at once!"

"Er, actually…" Jim said rather sheepishly. "England isn't our final destination. We're going to Arcadia, out in California."

"California?" Artia echoed. "I am unfamiliar with that country."

"Well, it's not a country, it's a state," Jim explained, and he gestured for Artia to follow him back toward his boat. "Part of the United States of America." Artia just stared at him. "America kind of revolted against Great Britain's rule, and the colonies formed their own country. Taxation without representation and stuff like that."

"Your country revolted? Interesting," Artia pondered this for a moment. "Tell me, Trollhunter, how long has it been since I arrived here to Avalon?"

"Uh…" Jim counted off on one hand. "Nine or so centuries?" Artia stopped and stared at him.

"You mean I have been asleep for nearly a thousand years," she said breathlessly, and he nodded slightly.

"Yes, your majesty. A lot has changed since then, but…" He smiled and tapped the Amulet. "Others have endured. I'll be happy to tell and teach you everything I can, but I humbly request that you follow my direction in return." Artia didn't seem entirely sold on the idea, but after a moment to think it over, she nodded.

"Very well, Trollhunter. This is your world now, not mine, and you must lead this war. I am yours to command."

"Thank you, your majesty," Jim dipped his head. "First, please. Call me Jim."

"All right, Jim," she said. "Then you may call me Artia." He grinned.

"Okay. Oh, and I might as well go ahead and get this out of the way: My wife, Claire, and I named our son after you. We named him Arthur." Artia actually let out a humorous breath at that, not quite a laugh.

"The Trollhunter named his son after me? I am flattered, Jim. I do hope to meet your family."

"You will when we get to Arcadia," he said as they came to his boat. "We'll take this back to England, then I need to make a quick stop in London, and from there, we'll take the Gyre back to Arcadia."

"That certainly sounds like quite a journey," Artia remarked as she stepped aboard the boat. "Have you adequately prepared?" Jim laughed as he hoisted the anchor and shoved the boat into deeper water, then climbed on.

"Don't worry, Artia. If all goes well, we should be in Arcadia within a day." She looked genuinely surprised at the notion, and he grinned as he started the motor and dismissed his armor. "I'll explain on the way."

* * *

 **Author's Note:** I'm gonna say it now, my husband is a huge _Fate_ fan and I drew a concept of Artia more or less as a joke for him. Now we're here. I'll explain a little more of this version of the mythos as the story goes on.


End file.
